1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a blood analyzer, a blood analysis method and a hemolytic agent.
2. Description of the Background Art
A blood analyzer classifying white blood cells is known in general. Such a blood analyzer is disclosed in each of Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-83960 and Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-257450, for example.
A blood analyzer described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-83960 comprises an electrical resistance type detection unit detecting white blood cells in a measurement sample prepared from a blood sample and a reagent and is configured to classify the white blood cells in the measurement sample into three groups on the basis of a detection result by the electrical resistance type detection unit.
A blood analyzer described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-257450 comprises a sample preparation unit preparing a measurement sample from a blood sample and a reagent and an optical detection unit detecting forward scattered light, lateral scattered light and fluorescent light and is configured to classify white blood cells in the measurement sample into four groups on the basis of a detection result by the optical detection unit. This optical detection unit detects fluorescent light of fluorescently-labeled white blood cells.
However, there is such a problem that the blood analyzer according to the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-83960 cannot classify the white blood cells in the measurement sample into more than three groups.
In the blood analyzer according to the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-257450, the white blood cells in the measurement sample must be fluorescently-labeled while the white blood cells in the measurement sample can be classified into four groups, and hence there is such inconvenience that an expensive reagent containing a labeling substance must be employed. Thus, a blood analyzer capable of classifying white blood cells into more than three groups and requiring no reagent containing a labeling substance is desired.
A blood analyzer classifying white blood cells and acquiring a hemoglobin concentration is known in general. Such a blood analyzer is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-292738, for example.
A blood analyzer described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-292738 is configured to measure forward scattered light, lateral scattered light and fluorescent light employing a measurement sample containing a blood sample and a reagent for classifying white blood cells and classify white blood cells in the measurement sample into four groups. This blood analyzer is configured to detect transmitted light employing a measurement sample containing a blood sample and a dedicated reagent for measuring hemoglobin having a different composition from the reagent for classifying white blood cells and acquire a hemoglobin concentration in the measurement sample.
However, the blood analyzer according to the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-292738 classifies white blood cells employing the reagent for classifying white blood cells and acquires a hemoglobin concentration employing the dedicated reagent for measuring hemoglobin having a different composition from the reagent for classifying white blood cells, and hence two types of reagents having different compositions from each other must be developed separately to classify white blood cells and acquire a hemoglobin concentration. Consequently, there is such a problem that the prices of the reagents rise thereby straining a user.